Turks Coast to a 10-3 Win Over the Rebels

06/20/2011 – Turks Tidbits

Written by Nathaniel Stoltz James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA – On a beautiful Monday evening, the Turks had little trouble picking up their eleventh win of the season, defeating the New Market Rebels 10-3.

Harrisonburg starter Justin Van Grouw (Wake Forest) threw seven strong innings, allowing just two runs and showcasing his excellent fastball and curveball all night. He was relieved by Joseph Charest (Fordham) in the eighth, and Charest promptly struck out three batters over two stellar innings of work. Both pitchers flummoxed the Rebels batters with impressive offspeed pitches, as they both had good curveballs and Charest also threw a number of fantastic changeups.

Although Van Grouw gave up a run in the first on an RBI single from Rebels first baseman John Sgromolo, Turks fans weren’t worried for long. Rebels starting pitcher Nick Kendrick couldn’t find the plate, and he had the same number of walks and outs – 5. Harrisonburg sent ten batters to the plate in the bottom of the second, and five of them scored. The biggest blows of the inning were doubles by R.J. Perucki and Mac Williamson. Kendrick was yanked from the game with two outs in the second and replaced by righthander Brantley Hattrich.

Hattrich, who’s come into each of the three games the Rebels have played at Veterans Memorial Park this season, got out of the second without any further damage, but his first pitch in the third inning was promptly launched over the right-center field wall for a homer by Turks third baseman Ty McFarland. Hattrich also gave up three runs on four hits in the fourth inning, and the Turks pushed across yet another run in the fifth.

By the time the game was halfway through, the score was 9-1, and Turks manager Bob Wease elected to give many of his reserves playing time, enabling Charest to get his first game of the season in a low-pressure situation and allowing the Turks’ position player reserves to get several innings in the field and a couple of at-bats.

The win widens the gap between the Central Division-leading Turks and second-place Rebels to four games.

The Turks embark on a three-game road trip starting tomorrow before returning home for games against Luray and Haymarket on Friday and Saturday.